🚀 go-pugleaf

jdavison@library.sdsu.edu (John Davison) writes:

>Has any every heard of Justin Sterling? A friend of mine that I haven't
>talked to in some time called me up to try and talk me into taking one of
>this guys seminars. He wouldn't tell me much about it other than it's for
>men and it was one of the most incredible experiences that he's ever had.

I attended a recruiting meeting for a Sterling seminar at the urging of a
friend of mine, and my experience was exactly like yours.  All the men
swore that it changed their lives, and were very tight-lipped about
exactly what it *was* that had done this for them.

The goal of the seminars, and the ongoing support groups that follow, is
to free men from the emotional prison of modern manhood.  Noble enough,
but for some in the group, this was corrupted into "getting in touch with
your inner asshole."  The first time I met these guys, they were proudly
puffing cigars, one of the most distasteful icons of manhood, because they
liked "to go home smelly to their women."  They were probably joking, but
there seemed to be an unpleasant subtext to it.

While the men running the recruiting meetings strongly deny that the
Sterling men's groups are a cult, it has all the telltale signs of one: a
charismatic leader; devotees who must recruit new members; a structured
belief system; various rituals, and members who often join at a point of
crisis in their lives.

Oh yes, and hypocracy.  My "sponsor," who really hadn't known me all that
long, introduced me to the group, sang my praises, and swore that "even if
he doesn't decide to do the seminar, he'll still be my friend."  Later
that night, I declined to attend the seminar, and that was the last I saw
of him.

But they're not *all* bad;  the Sterling participants *do* involve
themselves in charity work, etc.  And the meetings can be great places to
network, because many of the men are professional and well-off.  But you
could probably do all of that at your local Chamber of Commerce, without
having to bang drums out in the woods.  :)